Chapter 19 No Longer Force You

In the warm sunlight, Xie Jin Yan's deep contours were etched with a layer of gloom.

His captivating peach blossom eyes also reflected a somber darkness and questioning, much like the expression she had when she first returned to the capital, almost identical.

However, at this moment, his face was devoid of the usual sarcasm, replaced by a heavy sense of oppression and a cold, simmering anger.

"Yu Qingwu, what do you mean by this?"

"Doesn't Your Highness know what he has done?"

She looked up at him, a hint of mockery and bitterness in her eyes.

She said softly, "From the beginning, you and I were not the same kind of people."

"It's just that I mistakenly thought we would be."

"I must have been wrong. How could the dignified Crown Prince be the same kind of person as a commoner like me?"

"Alright, Your Highness, it's getting late. I should go."

She lowered her eyes, no longer looking at the man's eyes, and gently pushed him.

However, her strength was too weak, and this action did not move Xie Jin Yan in the slightest.

"A'Wu, does it have to be this way?"

His powerful hands held her captive.

Beneath that handsome and stunning face, the man's eyes reddened. He stared at her for a moment and said, "I told you long ago that matters of the court are not so simple."

"Wanting to crush those deeply rooted aristocratic families is not something that can be done with just a few words."

"Yes, a few words can't do it, and even solid evidence can't."

"But, the Emperor losing face can, and the Royal Princess being deceived can!"

Yu Qingwu interrupted him, looking at those reddened eyes. She struggled slightly, then chuckled coldly, lowering her voice as she said, "My brother's life, like Gao Minyue's father's life, is worthless."

"You used to say that you were afraid Gao Minyue would be like a moth flying into a flame if she knew the truth."

"But Your Highness, I now understand that you are not afraid of her flying into the flame, but that when the truth is revealed to the world, your background will be questioned, and the Empress's past will make your position as Crown Prince uncertain."

"At this moment, you will definitely say that my brother's death was his own choice, that he did it for revenge, that he did it to protect me."

"But if that's really what you think, why would you be so guilty, why would you hide it from me in every possible way?"

"Xie Jin Yan, I'll only ask you one question. Back in Qingzhou, when you didn't know your father and mother's plan, didn't you think of using my brother's life to exchange for a chance to turn the tables?"

Yu Qingwu's voice was low, desperately trying to suppress her tone, but in the end, tears still couldn't help but roll down.

Xie Jin Yan lowered his eyes and stared at her, not speaking.

A cool breeze blew, lifting her hair.

Xie Jin Yan reached out, wanting to smooth it down for her.

Before his hand could touch her, Qingwu suddenly took a step back, staring at his emotionless eyes. She couldn't help but chuckle bitterly again, saying, "Forget it, in the end, it was my brother's own choice, and our Yu family can be considered to have taken revenge. Back then, when you and I became entangled, I originally did it for revenge. Now, everything has just returned to the starting point."

"It's not a bad thing."

"In the end, revenge has been taken, and my parents can finally rest in peace…"

"I should also go and live my own life."

She murmured, her voice getting softer and softer, but she didn't notice that Xie Jin Yan's expression was becoming more and more unsightly.

He stared at her silently, his hand already gripping her slender arm. After a long time, he suddenly asked with reddened eyes, "So A'Wu, if it weren't for revenge, you wouldn't be willing to be with me?"

Not for revenge?

If it weren't for revenge, perhaps she would have died with her mother in that heavy snow long ago.

Why would she come to this capital full of stench?

And why would she have developed those feelings with him that shouldn't have existed in the first place?

In the end, they were going back to the starting point, so what difference did it make whether it was yes or no?

Thinking of her brother, thinking of the family she had only just found, who had disappeared without a trace, Yu Qingwu no longer had the mood to talk about love and affection with Xie Jin Yan.

She pursed her lips, smiled indifferently, and said calmly, "Probably."

"If there had been no revenge, you and I would have been two completely different people, so how could we have crossed paths?"

"Forget it, everything is over. Your Highness, please move aside."

"A'Wu! Does it have to be this way?"

"Are you angry with me, right? Are you mad at me?"

Xie Jin Yan interrupted her, looking at her calm face. He was a little panicked.

Even though her expression was calm, this time, he really read the determination in her eyes.

People are like this. When they haven't reached that point, they are always full of confidence, always thinking that the other person will probably understand them.

They always blindly overestimate themselves and overestimate their relationship.

Especially this woman in front of him, who not only had affection for him, a childhood sweetheart's affection, but also a husband and wife's affection. Most importantly, she needed to rely on him to live.

How dare she? And how could she?

Yes, Xie Jin Yan had thought so before, but until this moment, looking at the determination in her eyes, he suddenly came to his senses.

Yes, she used to rely on him to live, like a dodder vine clinging to him.

But that was because she still wanted to live, she still wanted revenge.

But now, these handles that forced her to rely on him no longer existed, so naturally she wouldn't care about him as much as before.

Sure enough, the next moment, Yu Qingwu pushed him away fiercely.

"Xie Jin Yan! Please move aside!"

She used all her strength, not giving the current Crown Prince any face.

She suddenly raised her voice, and the disgust in her eyes was obvious.

For a moment, the guards at the palace gate also looked over, but soon, they turned their eyes back, each with a look of fear, afraid that Xie Jin Yan would blame them for losing face.

But this time, Xie Jin Yan didn't act like he had before.

His eyes reddened, he looked at Qingwu expressionlessly. After a moment, his whole body seemed to be suddenly drained of strength. He slowly withdrew his hand, nodded slightly, and said, "Since Shijie (Senior martial sister) is determined, I will no longer force you."

"As agreed that day, when you and I have each achieved our goals, it will be the day we part ways. I will no longer force you."

"But, I still want to ask you one question, A'Wu, have you ever had any genuine feelings for me? If it weren't for revenge, would you have had any genuine feelings for me?"

His eyes were misty, and he looked utterly humble.

The dignified Crown Prince was actually pleading with a merchant's daughter like this. For a moment, the guards watching from the side showed different expressions, and some even felt sympathy.

But at this moment, looking at Xie Jin Yan's moving face, Yu Qingwu no longer felt the emotion she used to feel.

If it had been before, she would have inevitably felt sorry for him and softened her heart, but at this moment, looking at his repeated tactics, she only felt it was laughable.